Defense Prep

This weekend my goal is to focus on preparing to defend my thesis. Yesterday I met with Juan for a few minutes to give me an idea of where to focus my preparation.

Juan: I can't tell you the specific questions we'll ask.
Me: Right.
Juan: But, in broad strokes, here's what might come up...

I jotted some notes. It was pretty much what I expected would come up, so no worries there. My prep. plan is to review everything I've written (i.e. re-read the whole shebang). Then, I'm going to write out notes for myself with some key points from the critics I discussed in my intro as well as a list of authors who've influeced me for this project and key points about them too.

Also, as part of my defense, I'll be spending a few minutes reading an excerpt from the fiction part.

All together, here are the steps of the defense itself:
1. I talk for about 15-20 minutes about my thesis
2. My committee members ask me questions about the theory/fiction (this is the defense part)
3. The audience has a chance to ask questions
4. Everyone leaves the room so the committee can confer & decide if I "pass" or not
5. The committee members sign some paperwork

After the defense, there's more administrative/paperwork type stuff to do, then my thesis goes to Fort Collins, and I get my degree about one semester later. So, you know, it's home stretch type stuff right now, which is nice.